


Ages Twelve and Below

by larryscape



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Children, Christmas, Comedy, Cute, Elf, Elf Louis, Fluff, Funny, Humor, Kids, M/M, larry - Freeform, larry stylinson - Freeform, lourry, mall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-08
Updated: 2013-12-08
Packaged: 2018-01-03 23:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1074187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larryscape/pseuds/larryscape
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis works as an elf at the local mall, and Harry somehow thinks he can pass for being nine years old.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ages Twelve and Below

**Author's Note:**

> I got too excited to read it over, so there may be some mistakes, but hey, that's fanfiction.
> 
> Thank you to Morgan (@morgan_isms), per usual, and to lexi (@littleboylouis)
> 
> ask.fm/larrysape  
> twitter.com/zayntaclause (usually @ctmytown)  
> larryscape.tumblr.com
> 
> YOUR FEEDBACK AND KUDOS ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED

The makeshift red carpet perfectly contrasted Louis’ green suede shoes - Yes, _green…_ and _suede_. He hated them, almost as much as he hated the candy-cane patterned tights he was forced to wear. He loved kids - had four little sisters in fact - but their laughter and adorable innocence could never make up for the relentless cat-calls from highschool boys and poorly-disguised snickers from rich, middle-aged women. Niall, his fellow elf, kept him sane, but, needless to say, Louis absolutely detested his job.

 “But sweetie, how is Santa gonna get Big Bird down your chimney?” Louis cooed at a little girl wearing a snowflake dress and a comically oversized bow in her hair.

 She looked back at Louis, who was kneeling beside her, and gave him a look of perplexity and said nothing else.

 “Erm, well I guess Santa can work something out for you,” he said before lightly pushing her in the direction of “Santa’s” chair and turning around to greet the next person in line.

It was a young boy (about five or six probably) wearing a green sweater under a pair of overalls. He looked up at Louis with a toothy smile, giggling when he ruffled his hand into his hair.

 “Hey, champ, you alright?” Louis said through a grin.

 The boy nodded back, and they proceeded to have an in depth conversation about the latest edition of Power Rangers action figures. After failing to convince the boy that they have been steering too far from the original models, Louis let him go sit on Santa’s lap.

 Louis spun around on the heels of his suede shoes, his eyes landing on another boy – except this boy was about three times the size of the previous one.

 “Oh, hello,” Louis greeted hesitantly, his voice cracking slightly.

 The boy in front of him smiled back, showing all of his teeth just like the boy before.

 “Hiiiiii,” he responded, his cheery tone matching that of his outfit, which was a reindeer sweater paired with probably the tightest pair of green skinny jeans Louis had ever seen. “I’m Harry.”

 Louis offered a timid, closed-mouth grin and a meek little wave. “I’m Louis,” he said, and soon, Harry was frowning back at him. “W-what’s wrong…” Louis asked.

 With his hands joined behind his back and his toes pointed inward, Harry gave Louis a small shrug. “It’s just that…your name-tag doesn’t say Louis,” he said, barely stifling his laughter by biting his lower lip.

 A bit confused, Louis looked down at his felt, green top on which stuck a name-tag.

“Ah, you’re right, Harry,” Louis said flatly, rolling his eyes at his chest. “Looks like I’m _Fiddles_ today.” And if Harry was listening closely enough, he would have also heard all of Louis’ dignity crashing down within him.

 Harry seemed thoroughly delighted, a devious smile settling proudly on his face. “What a beautiful name,” he beamed while biting back his laughter once more. “You actually look like a Fiddles, you know.”

 Louis lifted his hands in front of him. “What can I say? Mum knew what she was doing.”

 They laughed for a bit, and Louis began to notice how cute this guy really was – and not just because he was probably in his late teens and still lined up to see Santa Clause. He was actually very _handsome_ , really. He had this awkwardly long torso, which added to the height already provided by his thin giraffe legs. But what really struck Louis was Harry’s face. It was as if a sculptor picked out the most randomly-sized shapes and colors and welded them together, and it somehow resulted in the most beautiful masterpiece one could imagine. He was also hairless.

 “How old are you, Harry?” Louis asked.

 Harry’s eyes shifted up towards the ceiling as if he was trying to remember something. “Well, the sign back there said _Ages Twelve and Below_ , so I’m gonna go wiiiiiith… nine.”

 Louis narrowed his eyes and nodded slowly. “Right…nine.”

 Harry nodded back. “Yeah, well ten makes me feel too old, so,” he answered, and soon, Louis was giving him an understanding smile as if to say _Of course; I know exactly what you mean._

 After throwing Louis a modest grin, Harry bounced up on his toes and became silent.

 “What…” Louis questioned hesitantly, not too sure how he felt about the way Harry was staring at him.

 “Aren’t you gonna ask what I want for Christmas?” Harry said, still grinning. “You know, get down on a knee and pet my hair and what not?”

 Louis blinked. “Erm, well first of all, you’re like five inches taller than me, mate. And second -” He stopped short in response to Harry abruptly dropping to the floor right by his feet. “Oh…”

 Beaming up at Louis, Harry sat criss-cross applesauce on the red carpet. “I can’t hear you,” he giggled before extending grabby hands up at the boy looking down at him. “You’re too far away, Fiddles.”

 After looking around to confirm the fact that people were indeed staring, Louis obliged to Harry’s request and lowered himself onto one knee. “So, little boy,” he started flatly. “What would you like for Christmas?”

 Harry immediately burst out into sobs – well…pretend sobs.

 “ _Jesus_ , Harry. What’s wrong?” Louis groaned. “Everyone is staring, love.”

 He was right. Even Louis’ boss looked like he was about to come over and ask Louis if he had told Harry that Santa wasn’t real.

 Louis slapped a ‘comforting’ hand onto Harry’s shoulder and rubbed it in hard, tight circles. “Harry, you are seriously going to get me fired. Can you please knock it off?”

 Harry sniffled into his hands. “I didn’t like your tone,” he mumbled, pretending to wipe moisture from his face.

 He was actually insane.

 Louis decided he would do pretty much anything to keep Harry from causing more of a scene. This kid really had no shame, and Louis didn’t know whether it was bizarre or endearing. Maybe both?

 “Fine. Erm…” Louis composed himself before he could put on his cheeriest grin and most melodic elf voice. “ _Hiya, there little dude!_ ” he began, nearly wincing at how much his cheeks were flexed from smiling. “ _What do you reckon you want for Christmas, sport?_ ”

 Harry giggled with his tongue sticking out between his teeth. He probably was nine years old after all.

 “Hmmm,” Harry hummed while looking dreamily up at the ceiling. “I think…I want…a turbie twist.”

 Louis coughed. “Oh. _Oh_ – _Wow,_ what a great idea, Harry,” Louis gushed. “Very practical. Uhm -”

 “No, no, no, I’ve changed my mind,” Harry interrupted, shaking his head in disappointment. “What was I thinking?”

 Louis stole a quick glance behind Harry, where about twenty small children were becoming a bit restless in line. This boy was seriously going to get him fired, but it might be worth it, Louis thought. We’ll see what else Harry wants for Christmas.

 “World peace,” he said.

 Louis plastered on an eager smile. “Yeah?” he asked, taking this opportunity to stroke the ringlets of hair covering the boy’s head.

 Through Louis’ grin lied severe impatience, but he wasn’t quite sure if it was impatience from the increasing size of the line forming behind Harry or the fact that Harry’s Christmas wish wasn’t a date with Louis.

 Ignoring the death glare from his boss, who was seated in a chair next to Santa, Louis continued to pet Harry and passive-aggressively kept digging for the one request he really wanted from the boy.

 “What else, Harry?” Louis asked, feeling a bit pathetic at this point. His cheeks began aching, and his smile was beginning to fade into a furrowed-eyebrow expression of desperation. “What would you want for Christmas…if you could have _anything_ in the world?” he continued.

 Harry twisted his mouth into a thoughtful expression. Louis could tell how hard he was really thinking, even though it was probably about the latest Bissel vacuum cleaner or a My Little Pony temporary tattoo collection.

 Harry’s eyes suddenly lit up, looking as if he had just discovered Willy Wonka’s chocolate lagoon.  

 “I want a ride on the carousel,” he revealed, a sort of manic excitement present in his voice. “I hear the mall’s carousel has a sleigh on it.”

 Louis’ heart fell, along with his cheery elf smile. “Ah,” he said shortly.

 By now, Louis’ boss was charging over, nearly knocking over toddlers left and right. This was it, Louis thought. He was going to get fired, only to go home dateless.

 It was stupid, anyway…the job _and_ the hope Louis had that a cute boy would want him, especially dressed in _tights_ and that damn _suede_.

 “Alright, _Fiddles_ ,” Louis’ boss said, glaring down at Louis, who was still crouched down beside Harry on the floor. “I think this has gone on long enough.” He yanked Louis up to his feet from the sleigh bells around his neck, causing him to wince out in pain. “Time to hand in your tights, Tomlinson.”

 Louis looked down apologetically towards Harry, who was looking back up at him with round puppy eyes. “Don’t take him away, please,” he pouted, his lower lip quivering in earnest. “He was supposed to take me on the carousel ride.”

 “What?” Louis squeaked under his breath before ripping himself away from his boss’s grasp.

 Harry snorted at Louis’ reaction. “Well, _duh._ I’m only nine,” he laughed before clumsily getting back up on his feet.

 Louis’ boss let out a noise of confusion and opened his mouth to speak, but Louis cut him off. “You know what?” he said, whirling around to meet his eyes while wrapping an arm around Harry’s waist. “I quit.”

 The tense atmosphere was shattered by Harry’s fit of giggles.

 “Harry, not now,” Louis said, squeezing the pudge underneath the boy’s reindeer sweater. He narrowed his eyes at his boss before opening his mouth once more. “Well, if you don’t mind, we have a carousel ride to catch.”

 And that was it. Louis had left Niall with about thirty little kids (he’ll text him later to apologize), but it was worth showing Harry what it was like to ride the carousel’s sleigh with a real elf.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
